of one plant
Ceropegia Linné
For an overview of the Genus go to Ceropegia a-d
Ceropegia sp. Linn. Oldanyo Sambu, Tanzania
For a tuberous rooted Ceropegia this recently discovered species, has an usually woody top growth.
Ceropegia stapeliiformis ssp serpentina and C.stapeliiformis ssp stapeliiformis
Ceropegia stapeliiformis occurs as two sub species in different areas of South Africa - ssp serpentina occurring in the Gauteng, Mpumulanga and Northern Provinces, whilst ssp stapeliiformis occurs only in the Eastern Cape Province. Both fibrous rooted subspecies produce fleshy, cylindrical, tuberculate stems up to 15mm in diameter. The stems which creep, scramble and occasionally twine, root where they lay on the ground. The two subspecies differ in that ssp serpentina has two golden yellow glands at the base of the rudimentary leaves, these can be clearly seen in the picture of Clone 2. Also the corolla-lobes of ssp serpentina are less spreading and the corona more cup shaped than in ssp stapeliiformis.
The species with the 'slender flower', comes from south and eastern Africa from Sudan to RSA and also Namibia. From a cluster of fleshy roots, the twining stems, with long narrow leaves, bear clusters of from 3 - 6 flowers which produce slender green smooth seed follicles up to 10cm in length.
From Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Ethiopia and down into Tanzania and Kenya, the stems of this very variable species range from 8 - 13mm in diameter and scramble or twine to 3m in length. The stems vary in colour from dark to glaucous green blotched with red. The flowers are vary variable depending on origin, the plant pictured from seed IAS1452 was collected 2km S. of Metahara, Ethiopia, whilst seed from IAS1812 (GO100402) from Jebel Ra's, Yemen, collected by Giuseppe Orlando from different plants in the area, produced both plants exhibiting the more conventional flowers and those of the species formerly known as Ceropegia de-vecchii ssp. adelaidae, but which in the latest revision has now been included in Ceropegia variegata.
Cibirhiza Bruyns
This genus has only two species in disjunctive localities, Cibirhiza albersiana, being found in Tanzania and Zambia in Mopane woodland, whilst Cibirhiza dhofarensis is found only in rocky areas of Dhofar, Oman. Related to Fockea and in the subfamily Fockeeae, the genus name derives from the Latin 'cibus', nourishment or food, and the Greek 'rhiza', root, for the edible root tubers. The plant shown was originally obtained as Raphionacme montieroae, but once it flowered it become obvious that it was not that, and I am extremely grateful to Dr. Ulrich Meve for its identification as C. albersiana, despite the fact that the corolla of this clone seems to lack the red dots mentioned in the original description. As can be seen the plant has a smooth more or less cylindrical tuber with a woody vine, unlike a large number of plants currently in cultivation under this name, which are in fact Fockea multiflora.
Cynanchum Linné
The name derives from the Greek 'kynos', dog and 'anchien' to choke; for the toxicity of the plants. The species Cynanchum in the subfamily Cynanchinae, embraces some 300 species from the tropics and sub tropics worldwide, there are also a few species from temperate climates. Most are non succulent climbers and twiners. The former species Karimbolea, Folotsia and Platykleba from Madagascar have recently been included in Cynanchum.
From the Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa districts of Madagascar, this species has a tuberous root with a thin Ceropegia-like twining vine with ovate leaves, which bears numerous umbels of flowers with a delicate honey like odour over a long period.
Grown from seed IAS1274 collected by Philip Alp [PRA321S] at Morondava, Madagascar this vigorous twining plant produces its flowers singly towards the end of the sparsely branching stems.
Also from Madagascar this species has decumbent stems which neither creep nor twine. It is a very attractive easily cultivated species which flowers at intervals down the length of the stems which can reach up to 50cm.
Dischidia R.Brown
In the family Marsdenieae, the genus Dischidia is closely related to Hoya and cultivation is generally the same requiring an open but peaty compost - although some can be grown as true epiphytes on mossy bark poles. They prefer dappled sunlight and a high humidity. The distribution of the genus is vast, being found in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Australia. The name Dischidia derives from the Greek 'dischides', cleft in two for the apically bifid staminal corona.
Dischidia nummularia
A very wide spread species with round leaves and small white flowers, being found across the main distribution range.
With its thick fleshy leaves and small pinkish white flowers, this species from the Philippines is a vigorous twining climber